2024-03-19 20:24:57
The call Hackintosh — the practice of installing macOS on computers from manufacturers other than Apple — has been widespread for a long time, including a wide community. With the latest Mac system updates, however, this installation on machines from other brands may be numbered.
As highlighted in a developer post Aleksandar Vacić, with fewer and fewer Macs equipped with Intel chips compatible with the latest versions of macOS, support for some older drivers is also being phased out of the system. As a result, the Hackintosh has become progressively more unstable and unviable — a scenario that will only get worse in the future, with the complete end of support for Macs without Apple Silicon.
Even though the macOS Sonoma 14 is compatible with some generations of Macs with Intel processors, Apple has completely removed support for older Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cards used in mid-2012/13 Macs. These models, however, are no longer officially supported, which explains the removal of support for the components.
Apple is also moving drivers to the DriverKit, eliminating obsolete and no longer used code; the same was done with Ethernet connection drivers in macOS Ventura 13.
The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cards, however, were key parts for Hackintosh machines to work, as they operated simply with Apple services such as iMessage, FaceTime, AirDrop, Continuity (Continuity) and Handoff. Despite the community’s efforts to develop new means of operation, the cards only work on a Hackintosh with macOS Sonoma in a way that undermines the system’s security.
Solutions that might previously replace cards now no longer run either, due to changes in drivers. As a result, support for FaceTime and iMessage is affected, although synchronization with iCloud still occurs. The Ethernet tool may also stop working in the future macOS 15making the process even more difficult.
More recently, with macOS 14.4, changes were made to the USB system, causing more problems for Hackintosh machines, although solvable. Regarding Wi-Fi, the situation is more critical, with much fewer options for configurations that work. Everything gets even worse considering macOS’ dependence on the Wi-Fi chip, as highlighted by Vacić.
Therefore, the daily use of Hackintosh computers has a continuous depreciation. Essential functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the Ethernet connection, in addition to Apple services, for example, work intermittently, with several small problems and glitches, which greatly harms the experience.
Thus, it can be said that the Hackintosh is in its final moments, or on its “deathbed”, as described by Vacić. Over time, the tendency is for unfeasibility to increase and development will no longer be able to prolong the survival of the practice, something that has been predicted for some time.
Hackintosh users will probably have to opt for legitimate Macs if they want to continue using macOS. It is the end of an era…
1710917936
#Apple #Silicon #macOS #updates #making #Hackintoshes #unusable